Castle-Toppler
by Odangocha
Summary: TobiramaOC. To please man is woman's pleasure. Is it not?
1. Prologue

**Warning/Disclaimer: Prostitution is a major theme. I do not own _Naruto_, nor the real-life concept of the _oiran_, _Yoshiwara_ and their practises.**

* * *

The crimson hue was beguiling, the lanterns that cast it were enticing, and the street that decorated itself with both was captivating.

To say the least.

_Is this genjutsu?_ A man wandered through the hustling crowd, glancing greedily in every direction and bumping shoulders with every step. Drum beats, plucked strings and clanging bells entertained his ears while appreciative whistles, salacious calls and enthusiastic bids incited his curiosity. So many sights, so many sounds! Everything vied for his limited attention, but he was blind and deaf to all but the irresistible enchantments that postured themselves so alluringly behind the wooden bars of the building. Feeling far too bewitched for his comfort, he formed the necessary hand seals in a half-hearted attempt to dissipate the illusion. However, the women were still as enthralling, and their cajolement still as hypnotizing. With blissful resignation, the man let his arms fall to his sides. _No... This is..._

_"Over here..."_

His head shot up immediately at the lilting sound, and his eyes settled on a particular female in the middle of the chamber. Like the other merchandise on display, she was clad in an elaborate kimono that rested neatly on the tatami floor, its intrinsic and colourful prints only serving to complement her beauty and elegance. The numerous hairpins that adorned her pale blonde hair tinkled and shimmered with every graceful tilt of her head, framing and accentuating her perfect face. Inhaling seductively through a kiseru between her fingers, the woman peered straight into his eyes through inviting black ones.

_"Come here..."_

Uncontrollably, his seasoned body gravitated towards her, trained muscles itching to be within close proximity.

"_Here..."_

However, his sandals halted before the aggravating bars that caged the women from lustful men, mildly snapping the man out of his stupor. Desperately, he motioned and shouted over the noise to the burly bouncer of the house. Sensing his trouble, the woman rose to her feet, gazing at him with half-lidded eyes and a smirk on her painted lips. From inside the house, merry cheers erupted.

"A client!"

Before he knew it, the man found himself in a highly ornate room with the company of young dancers and shamisen players, cheering and clapping away at their performances. He indulged heavily in liquor, which loosened both his body and mouth as he blabbered on about the difficulty of his assignments and exaggerated the heroism of his life as a shinobi to the enchanting woman beside. With narcotizing, sympathetic coaxing from her smooth tongue, he soon divulged in complaining everything about his superior and his crazy plans.

Time passed in the room like wind and alcohol through his lips like water. Suddenly reminding himself of the reason he was here in the first place, the man gulped down one more cup of sake before lustfully addressing the woman and pointing at the further end of the room. "Hey, isn't time we go there already?"

"Danna-san has waited long," she said silkily, and as if on cue, the other females in the room ceased their actions and quietly left the place, bowing as they did. The woman slip a haori off her shoulders and walked towards the direction he gestured at, where she revealed another room behind sliding doors. Peering over her shoulder, she offered invitingly, "his patience will be rewarded."

_This is..._ His excitement went beyond its boundaries as he clambered towards the tantalizing female, who patted her lap where he settled his head upon. Incapable of rationale thinking, he allowed her to remove his armour and robes, further drowning himself in liquor and her. Fortunately for him, years of being on constant guard were not for naught, and his smiling lids snapped wide open when he felt long, thin metal poised dangerously on his neck. With split-second reflexes, he jumped to the other end of the chamber, but not before flinging the jug of sake at his assailant.

"Y-You bitch...! An assassin?" His eyes narrowed, predating the woman opposite, every ounce of desire for her turning into despise.

She had managed to knock the jug away before it even touched her, but the liquid within soaked the left side of her face which she caught it with. Head crouching, she raised a hand and placed it on the wet skin to assuage the sting in her eye. "Assassin? You flatter yourself, danna-san."

Her once pleasing voice was now menacingly low. The man furiously kneaded chakra, ready to attack as she straightened her neck to face him. Then, deliberately, her hand slid downwards, smudging the white powder to reveal an inch-wide strip of red, grafted skin spanning from her left eye to her left upper jawline. Momentarily distracted by her disfigurement, he realised too late when the woman materialized in front with unmasked murderous intent.

"Y-You...! K-K-Kuno...I-ichi..." Blood gushed violently from his throat where she slashed, and the man crumbled to his knees, his last sight a pair of red-stained tabi. "T-This is..."

The woman wiped her dripping hairpin on a clean spot of the corpse's undershirt and sauntered back to the other end of the room, picking up her long pipe from the floor and stuffing its bowl with finely shredded tobacco from a bag beside it. Lighting it up with a nearby candle and sucking on its bore, she spared one last, careless look to her client's unmoving form on the matted floor.

"This is Yoshiwara."

* * *

_**Castle-Toppler:**_

**Prologue**

* * *

Senju Tobirama was unfailingly fast. And efficient. And lethal.

The bodies of six infiltrators fell in lifeless heaps, victims to the silver-haired shinobi's devastating Hiraishingiri. Merciless ruby eyes surveyed the work before nailing themselves at the remaining men who trembled under their intense gaze. The foreigners went through various options with gritted teeth, the favourability of which dwindled with every scenario, then turned to each other with decisive expressions.

"Argh, just take the fatso!" One of them flung a large cylindrical container at their pursuer who caught it with surprised ease while the other detonated a handful of smoke bombs.

The Senju knew better than to pursue them through clouded vision, although he could sense the presence of their chakra diminishing rapidly. Prioritising the new possession under his arm, he waited for the purple smog to dissipate and rise above the canopies before setting the wooden barrel on a thick branch under the shade of leaves. Analysing the various seals that glued it shut, he performed the appropriate hand seals and its cover disappeared with a puff of smoke, revealing an unconscious, but breathing boy inside.

One look at his fleshy build and Tobirama could identify him as an Akimichi. _Damn it_, he narrowed his eyes,_ this makes it the seventh clan._

"Tobirama-sama." He did not turn at the arrival of late reinforcements, though instinctively noted that there were four. And one of them...

"Torifu!" The clan head materialized next to his superior, lifting the boy out of the container and checking his vital points with controlled urgency. "Thank God he's alright!"

"Bring him to the medical centre just in case," the blue-clad shinobi commanded, then turned to the other members authoritatively, "the rest of you, search the area for any other clues or spies."

"Yes, sir!"

"I'll report to the Hokage." With nods, the team split up in a flash, each attending to their assignments. Tobirama wasted no time, and in a blink of an eye and surge of chakra, found himself landing before his brother's desk.

"Ah, Tobirama! Didn't I tell you not to do this anymore? Arriving so suddenly, you'll scare Mito!" Hashirama jolted backwards from his paperwork, turning to look at his unfazed, very composed wife. "Or maybe not..."

Ignoring the tanned man as usual, Tobirama announced in a stern voice, "they took an Akimichi this time, but returned him when I cornered them. It appears that somebody out there is collecting specimens from our village."

"Akimichi, Nara, Yamanaka, Aburame, Kohaku, Shimura and Sarutobi..." The Hokage lapsed out of his jovial nature and placed a hand to his chin solemnly. "It is a relief yet misfortune that they managed to take only the Yamanaka and Kohaku. Just what do they want, they're all only children!"

"It is because they are children that they were easy enough to kidnap. So far, the infiltrators we encountered were decent ninja at best." His younger brother informed cuttingly. "How disdainful."

"Hardly a month since my inauguration, and I fail to protect what I promised..." Black hair hung with a despondent mood, while Mito stroked comfortingly at his back.

"The village is still young, and its head even more so. It is impossible to keep every affair under control, husband. It is not your fault." Her calming voice worked wonders, and Hashirama returned his attention to his sibling. "The children were captured alive, weren't they? Is a rescue mission probable?"

"We have very, very limited information regarding this affair," Tobirama answered gravely, habitually crossing his arms. "The most we've got is that they all headed north, and bore the same, unrecognised crest on their garments. They operate under very quiet circumstances."

"Any idea who could be behind this? Kumogakure?" The regal Uzumaki offered. "Perhaps they are planning to study our power and use it against us."

"No. Intel says that Kumo too has been a victim of such kidnappings. Iwa and Suna as well." The man beside her sighed, frustrated. "We are at our wits' end, and this issue may prove devastatingly consequential."

The fairer-skinned male contemplated for a moment before exhaling sharply through his nose. "Brother, assign me a recon mission."

Startled eyes. "What...?"

"Considering the secrecy, it may take a long while, but we cannot put this matter aside any longer." He blinked up, conviction in his every word. "Assign me a recon mission, Hokage."

Hashirama stood up, thinly veiled agitation showing. "We don't know what we are dealing with, this mission may very well be dangerous! Wh-"

"That's why I have to do it." Reasonable, pragmatic. "You have to stay in the village, and only God knows how Madara will treat this issue. I'm the only one, brother."

"At least take a few-"

"No. Even a snooping pair will sound alarms. It's best if I do it myself." Tobirama sighed, and a small smile graced the corners of his lips. "Don't worry. You know that I won't instigate anything unless absolutely necessary."

The older Senju showed blatant displeasure through the frown on his face, but leader rationale and trust in his brother's abilities expelled doubts with a grudging huff. Scowling, he grabbed a form and scribbled the required details on it. "Fine. But I expect a messenger bird every five days, understand?"

The younger sibling refrained from pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'll try."

The Hokage hesitated briefly before pressing his red seal onto the paper, then passed it to the tall, brave warrior before him who he held so much pride for. "Senju Tobirama, your mission."

Thumb and fingers firmly lifted the form to change the ownership of it, and the silver-haired shinobi gave one last, assuring smile to his brother.

"I accept."

* * *

**Author's Note: I could not help it (;_;) After watching the Yoshiwara Arc of _Gintama_ and both movie and manga adaptations of _Sakuran_, I just couldn't help it. And as usual, I'll draw influences from both. I understand if some of you readers might feel uncomfortable with the idea of prostitution, but do take some time to Google about Oiran, or traditional Japanese courtesans (THEY ARE NOT GEISHA!), the culture is really fascinating and they are not your average pleasure women. Speaking of which, I've tried my best to study the Oiran and Yoshiwara traditions to the best of my ability, but information on both is limited, so I might make some factual inaccuracies which I will need your help in correcting (though I WILL tweak some parts to accommodate this story).**

**REVIEWS ARE GREATLY, GREATLY, GREATLY WECOMED! (Btw, I didn't anger any feminists, did I? *scared*)**

**P/S: I won't write anything too explicit nor extreme, but does a story like this come under T or M? **


	2. Yoshiwara

To think inanimate blue plates could provide that much of an assurance.

Tobirama, clothed and protected only by his casual wear and a thin mesh undershirt, finally understood the security that his usual battle armour bestowed, although it will most probably tear like paper when confronted with powerful jutsus and power-enforced strikes. Nonetheless, it comforted him, and he sure as hell was missing its protective feel now.

As the brother of the man who established world peace, his name and prowess gradually became well-known across the vast lands. Recounted tales taught people how to identify the Senju's Second; first by his overwhelmingly strong chakra and Suiton usage, and second by his signature armour, happuri and fur collar. Even the biggest news would not reach his ears if he were to go undercover looking as he was, and thus, the silver-haired shinobi had no choice but to appear as inconspicuous as possible and keep his chakra levels low and insignificant, meaning no Henge if he could help it.

He had completed almost half a day's distance when he stopped to rest at a town the size of a street in Konoha. Judging from its tiny capacity, pale blue-haired inhabitants and high chakra levels, he concluded that it was the settlement of an unaligned clan. His assumption was proven right when he saw an unfamiliar crest on the banner of a dango stand.

"My, are we popular today!" A kind, gravelly voice croaked from behind and an elderly woman appeared. "Since you're our second customer, I'll give you a half-price discount for your order. What will that be, young man?"

"Just a cup of Sencha." Tobirama instinctively summoned a small, restrained surge of chakra. The geriatric was harmless, most likely a retired kunoichi who spent more time at home than the battlefield, and the rest of the town emanated a pleasant, peaceful vibe. Feathers unruffled, he was considerably more relaxed when she returned with a tray. "Thank you."

"Wouldn't you like anything else? The customer before you ordered only Sencha as well." The storekeeper offered, then put a finger to her sagging chin. "He was so strange, though, and kept glancing at my grandson! But customers, or even passers-by are a rarity in this place, and I didn't want to be rude so I left him alone. Ah, are you a traveller too? You might meet him on your way; he left not too long ago! Brown haired and bearded, if I remember correctly."

"Maybe." The Senju sipped at his drink, uninterested in her ramblings and preoccupied with his predicament. With a world so large and his information so sparse, just how and where was he supposed to start on his hunt for some kidnapping organization? Must he scour every town for clues, tail every man and eavesdrop on every conversation? More importantly, when will he be allowed to return to his village? And here he was, listening to an old storekeeper blabber on about the eccentricity of her previous customer. He had a good mind to-_ Wait_.

He turned to her, setting his cup on the bench. "Your grandson. Is he here?"

"Ah! You want to meet him?" The old lady asked quizzically, but nonetheless stepped to the back of the shop. "Ran-chan! Eh, this is weird, he was here a moment ago! Did he run off to play without telling me?"

Without hesitation Tobirama closed his eyes, clasped his hands into the ram seal and concentrated. _Just as I thought_. No wonder he could not sense it in his first try; the particularly malevolent silver of chakra was well-masked, and most likely revealed by accident when its owner succumbed to his nerves. Within the time he took to part his eyelids, the Senju had already transported his body towards his target's location.

The man literally did not see him coming. Before he could even turn his head, the criminal was sent flying to the ground by a powerful collision, so quickly that he could not feel the pain until he was aware that a large, silver-haired male was pinning him onto the dirt by the neck.

_The same container, the same seals and the same crest. There's no mistake about it. _Tobirama quickly returned his attention to the badly bruised face above his hand. Brown-haired and bearded; just as the old woman had said. "Who are you working for? What are your motives?"

Recognising his assailant immediately, the man ceased his struggle and his eyes glazed over with dawning trepidation and fear. "Y-You're Senju... Senju Tobirama!"

He might as well not hide it anymore. The Senju gathered chakra into his right hand and the sheer force of it dented the ground even further. Undisturbed by the blood that was coughed onto his skin, he growled dangerously. "Speak."

"I-I-I-I-I... M-My l-leader..." The poor guy was already tearing, but Tobirama remained merciless. Judging from his condition, skills and complete lack of willpower, he deduced that the pinned man was one of the lower-ranking subordinates and thus would not be privy to relevant or crucial information. Increasing the pressure on his arm, he decided to facilitate his interrogation with questions. "What were you going to do with the boy? Where were you supposed to bring him to?"

"Y-Y-Y-Yo..." He mumbled incomprehensibly, completely petrified.

Ruby eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"

"Y-Yoshi..."

"Louder!"

"YOSHIWARA!" The man screamed in desperation, clamping his tear-filled eyes shut. For a moment no action was taken, and suddenly, he felt scorching heat rise up his esophagus.

The frown on Tobirama's brows deepened when he noticed that the man started choking, even though his grip on his throat had slackened considerably. The coughs grew increasingly violent, and instinct warned to get away as soon as possible. Swiftly stripping the man of his crested haori and collecting the familiar yellow barrel, Tobirama jumped backwards to a safe distance just in time to escape the powerful water explosion that followed.

_A Suiton set to obliterate, triggered by revealed information... _He straightened his back, surveying the devastating damage before him. _What a brutal precaution...and punishment._

Loud bangs on wood and muffled cries of help drew the Senju's attention to the cylindrical container beside his feet, and he knelt down to activate the release. Through the thin smoke he could make out short, pale blue hair, fearful green eyes and a high-pitched yelp. 'W-Who are you? What do you want?"

"Don't worry. You're safe now." Tobirama looked up from the boy at the sound of approaching footsteps. Even without his sensing skills he could tell that a small, defensive crowd was behind him.

"Ran-chan!" The same kindly, gravelly voice, now sprinting towards her grandchild with surprising speed.

"Obaa-chan!"

The leading man, presumably the clan head, screened the surrounding area and the silver-haired man standing in front, who though did not seem to be of any threat, gave off incredibly powerful chakra. "A Senju?"

"Of Konohagakure." Tobirama regarded the long-haired man and crossed his arms before explaining. "I'm investigating a series of kidnapping incidents, and it was only just that I realise it was not limited to Shinobi alliances and Hidden Villages. It seems that lone, isolated clans like yours fall victim too. Do not fear, I have already disposed of the perpetrator."

The head, though grateful, was still uncomfortable, still grasping the situation. Nevertheless, he bent his head forwards in a respectful bow. "You have the Kato Clan's deepest gratitude, Senju-sama."

"Small clans should not stay unaligned, especially one as trusting as yours." The Suiton master made a mental note to inform his brother of the existence of a stray clan nearby the village. His thoughts were interrupted by sniffling croaks.

"T-Thank you so much for saving my grandson, young master Senju!" The old lady knelt facing the hero, hugging her boy close to her chest. "Please, is there anything we can do to repay you? A hundred cups of free Sencha? Free dango?"

...

"Well..." Tobirama huffed uncomfortably, and then caught sight of a tattered haori in his hand. Blinking, he contemplated for a moment before handing it to her. "You can patch this up for me."

"Eh?" Her watery eyes stared at the heap of cloth in puzzlement, but quickly accepted it. "I-I mean, of course, of course!"

"One more thing..." The Senju turned to the clan head. "What is the best route to Yoshiwara?"

Upon hearing its name, the other clan members, especially the men, started buzzing among themselves while their leader gawked.

"You want to go to Yoshiwara?!"

* * *

_**Chapter 1:**_

**Yoshiwara**

* * *

As a male, Tobirama had heard of Yoshiwara before; it was acknowledged to be legendary in its business, known as a Paradise for Men. Unfortunately, he simply had no interest in frivolities like that and paid no attention when the older soldiers exchanged stories and rumours about it while he was still fighting during the Warring States Period. Unlike the others, he had no raging desire to set foot in it at all, but would perhaps allow himself to be dragged there by his gambler of a brother when the village prospers and the world is at rest.

He never imagined himself venturing through its streets alone.

"Cards, mah-jong, dice, lotteries, Odds-or-Evens! My senses tell me it's your lucky day so come on up and claim your loot!"

"Over here, o-shinobi-san! Over here! I'll charge you cheap!"

"The Chronicles of the Sage of Six Paths will be playing tonight, at the Kabuki-za!"

"Oi, nii-chan! Why don't you remove that hood and let me paint you a portrait?"

In response, he only lowered his head even further. It was still bright, and yet the town was bustling with activity. He could only imagine what the night would offer. Admittedly, the stoic ninja could not deny the slightest interest in its festive atmosphere. No wonder Hashirama often begged to visit this place (without Mito's knowledge, of course). Gambling dens were scattered around every corner, along with wine houses, tea houses, and the most prevalent, brothels. True to its reputation, every girl he had seen in the town was stunning to say the least, and very provocative, but he knew that the _real_ women of Yoshiwara have yet to strike. Nonetheless, his contempt for their lack of dignity and self respect would cancel out even the most enrapturing beauty.

On the other hand, he could also see why this town was the ideal place for unlawful and immoral meetings. Being of such nature, it attracted crooks of every kind. The buildings had rooms to rent, and the landlords indifference to offer. In fact, brothel owners sometimes collude with criminals to receive their supply of exploitable girls. Above all, Yoshiwara was lawless. As long as no damage was to be done to the infrastructure and workers of the place, its visitors were free to conduct whatever business they wished. Tobirama deepened his frown and gritted his teeth. As entertaining as the district seemed to be, he looked forward to leaving the place and its disgustingly vile and immoral occupants.

"Ah, sorry."

A female bumped into him, but the matter was quickly resolved with a soft apology on her part. Sensing neither malice nor chakra, he wordlessly continued his way without even glancing at her, but patted his chest to determine the presence of his money pouch. Nothing out of the ordinary, and he sighed at the inconvenience of traveling with large amounts of cash; he needed it for inns and if he had to resort to bribery. Looking down at his attire, which now consists of an added hooded cloak and the Kato Clan kidnapper's haori, he wondered if he should have just used a Henge. His plan of luring information and names with the crest he bore has been disappointing. Nobody else donned it as well, and nobody approached him. Deciding to switch to eavesdropping, he retired to a particularly shady wine house and sat himself in a corner with the company of a small bottle of sake he barely touched.

It had been an hour of listening to mindless chatter about the latest gossips concerning brothel girls and underground big shots, and Tobirama was growing increasingly frustrated. He was about to move to another house when his eyes perked up at a figure sauntering in and looking around. A figure with pale blonde hair and sporting the crest he had been searching for on the back of her haori.

The same crest of four parallel wavy lines, the image of a mist.

_Finally._ Tobirama was careful to not make any sudden movements, but the woman seemed to be aware of his presence. He could not see her face clearly under the dim lighting, and he was certain neither could she, but they both acknowledged their common trait. However, instead of approaching him as he had hoped, she turned and left the house instead.

A cue to follow.

Out of precaution, the Senju waited a good few moments before making his own exit. He followed her chakra, which was masked but leaking enough for him to tail. He noticed that they were diverging away from the more populated segments of the town, and soon enough his guard was on full alert as he entered an empty back alley. Suddenly, he noticed with a jolt that her chakra was cut off abruptly.

Alarms going off in his head, Tobirama dashed through the narrow street and reached a turning, where he found the girl on the floor with her back facing him. In a flash he appeared directly behind her, turning her motionless body over to check the cause of her unconsciousness, only to find her face plastered with explosive tags, revealing only her lips which curled into a triumphant smirk. A clone...!

_Shit! _Red eyes widened in realization as the tags went off, resulting in a violent explosion. If not for his Hiraishin, Tobirama would have found himself sustaining grievous burns instead of a safe position ten metres away from the blast, knees bent and breath slightly hitched. How could have been so foolish as to fall for such a simple trap? Are th-

In the duration of a split-second, almost as if out of thin air, a woman materialized at his left side, kunai aimed at his throat and feet clogs in contact with his left thigh. He could barely move his eyeballs by a fraction before the thrust rammed him forcefully into the ground, smashing the smooth surface and arousing a cloud of dust.

His reflexes were quick enough to dodge the kunai and brace himself for the impact, but Tobirama was left with a cut on his cheek and badly bruised skin. Wasting no time, he retreated to an area with clear air and vision to recover, clutching at a particularly sore arm.

_Was that Hiraishin she used?_ Judging from the titanic momentum and direction she had forced upon him, she must have attacked from a higher ground, not from a dimensional void. There were also no markings at all. Furthermore, by the way he could neither see nor feel her chakra under the veil of dust at the moment...

Tobirama smirked derisively. _He simply could not sense her approaching at all. _If he could not sense, then...

_Futon..._ -Tiger, Ox, Dog, Rabbit, Snake. He mustered chakra to his chest while inhaling, and after it was ripe enough, expelled it in a forceful gust of wind that blew away the obstructing dust_-...Daitoppa!_

The scene before him was completely void. As well as the kunoichi's presence. Glancing around alertly, he realised in time where should would attack from and jerked his head backwards in time to avoid an uppercut. The woman shot out from the ground, but while suspended mid-air was too slow to react to a yank on her arm which hurled her towards the ground. Before contact however, she twisted her body to fling a full-legged kick at her opponents back. Conversely, his elbow shot backwards to deflect the attack, and taking advantage of the momentum, she jumped with her other leg, using his back as a stepping stone. While in the air, she reached into her yukata sleeves and fired a rain of kunai, hoping to land a hit with quantity. Of course, Tobirama dodged every single one of them easily, but looked up to see an empty sky. Eyes widening, he executed his next move based on pure prediction of hers, and swivelled around to grab her by the neck and slam her body down on the ground.

"P-Please, don't kill m-me..." It was a sight reminiscent to the one in the Kato settlement. He took in her pooling black eyes, dishevelled pale blonde hair, trembling white skin, and the strip of red that joined her lower left eyelid to her upper jawline. A scarred woman. "P-Please, I-I'm s-sorry..."

"You chose the wrong person for this." Unyielding as always, he raised the kunai he had snatched from her hand above his head, and was about thrust it downwards when he felt her hand lifting the hem of her short robes and jumped backwards before he allowed any of the small, concealed arrows to pierce his skin. Unfortunately, his retreat meant her freedom too, and the woman pushed her body in the opposite direction, landing on her wooden clogs and sliding in reverse through the dirt, no trace of its previous worry on her face. It was then about twenty other people appeared behind her.

_Damn it, reinforcements?_ Tobirama cursed and swore inwardly. He noticed that they were curiously an all-female team, and were all clad in kimonos modified for battle.

"Boss!" One of them stepped up, eyeing him warily. "That person, he's Senju Tobirama!"

"What?" The woman turned to her subordinate with narrowed eyes, then back at him for confirmation. Muscles tensing and anticipating an attack, the silver-haired man returned their glare with equal caution, a bead of sweat trickling down his bloodied cheek as she raised her hand...

...and planted it on her face, sighing as she did. "Haa... I messed up."

Every ounce of hostility she radiated vanished immediately. If Tobirama was surprised, he did not show it, neither did he let his guard drop. "Who are you?"

The woman lifted her head from her palm and shifted her weight to one leg. "I'm the-"

An approaching wave of aggressive chakra cut the sentence off and caused both her and the Konoha nin to widen their eyes in alarm.

"Hide!" She urged while forming hand seals. Deciding that the best he could do now was to follow her advice, Tobirama concealed himself with a jutsu that blended him to a wooden crate on the side of the street and noticed a mangled corpse bearing his current appearance lying face-down beside the woman and her cronies. Then, a five-strong gang of shinobi men jumped into view, decorating the buildings around with their presence.

"What do trash like you want?" The kunoichi snarled, unwelcoming eyes glaring at them. The surrounding women mirrored her resentment.

"We thought we felt strong chakra, which felt uncannily like one belonging to an established clan." The man closest to her, seemingly the leader, explained leeringly, the toothpick between his teeth nodding with his words. "Couldn't tell which though, but chakra that powerful must be worth a lot of money."

The hidden ninja deepened his frown._ Bounty hunters._

"Hn. As if third-rate pieces of shit like you can take down anything 'powerful'." She was cutting in her speech. Pushing the body in front with a foot to show, she continued. "Go back home. We have already dealt with him."

"Ho, as expected of Yoshiwara's military force, the infamously efficient Tsurugumi. I heard that some little girls are disappearing recently, no wonder you're on high alert." Appearing before her in a flash, the crook squatted down to inspect the corpse. "Tch. What bad luck. This guy ain't even in the book."

"So you can get lost now."

"Now, now, don't be so cold," he smirked salaciously and rested a hand on her shoulder, which she eyed contemptuously. "How about spending the night with me? As the Tsurugumi's second-in-command, you must be quite a woman."

With a sudden flash of metal, the man found his hand on the ground and each of his men the target of many sharp blades. Brushing her shoulder as if dirt had landed on it, the woman drawled belittlingly. "Even the hungriest of birds won't feed on maggots like you."

She stabbed an icy glare at the shivering man crouched in pain before her. "Get lost."

"Damn you whores..." Gritting his teeth in pain and anger, the man and his lackeys jumped and sped out of the street, leaving one last threat. "You'll pay for this!"

They waited for the region to be completely safe before Tobirama and the woman dispelled their jutsus. The former stepped out into the middle of the street and saw the body disappear in a puff of smoke. A transformed clone. Reaching into her robes, the female regarded the man behind from the corner of her eyes. "As you just found out, this town is swarming with eager bounty hunters. Somebody as prolific as you shouldn't really be here."

A small shadow flew overhead and the Senju caught a heavy leather bag, which he widened red eyes in surprise at. _My money! When did she-_ His memory flashed back to the moment in the main streets where a stranger walked into him, and his hand dived fiercely under his robes to pull out a bag of pebbles.

"A switch is easy to make with the dexterity of a kunoichi." He looked up to see the woman turning around with a kiseru in hand. "To think that a victim I chose by random happen to bear the same crest I was searching for, and in the end turn out to be the renowned Senju Tobirama-sama. Talk about coincidence. By the way, I already spent about 700,000 ryo. Sorry."

"You..." Anger bubbled within his core at her theft, but mostly at his failure to prevent it. From their exchanges, Tobirama could tell that the woman was undeniably a highly-skilled sensor given her ability to disguise her chakra so effectively. However, she was only a competent kunoichi at best; she relied too much on the element of surprise that her talent creates and thus would not fare as well in direct confrontation. Blinking, he decided to return his focus to the larger matter at hand. Ripping the haori off his body, he brandished its crest at her. "This, what are your interests in it?"

"People bearing it have kidnapped two new girls in the past month, it is our job to retrieve them and punish the culprit." The moment the sentence left her mouth, her eyebrows rose in realisation. "What, the mighty Konoha too?"

Silence meant consent. She thought for a moment before smirking derisively. "Great minds think alike."

Tobirama dropped the limp fabric, understanding her wry smile; she had donned the haori with the same intention of luring other members out as well. Their plans were foiled the moment they saw each other in the wine house. Inwardly relieved that she did not seem to pose a threat, he asked expectantly, "do you have any information?"

Contemplating the silver-haired man through half-lidded eyes, the woman returned, "do you?"

...

His scowl exposed him. Sighing, she struck a match to light her burgundy pipe up, speaking in a serious voice. "This place is too open. I know of one where we can talk safely."

He caught something she flicked at him with one hand, and opening his palm, saw a red paper crane resting upon it. The Senju unfolded its creases and registered the characters written within it: the address of a courtesan house.

"Tonight, after the second gong. I'll take the money I spent as payment for the night, _danna-sama_." She spoke coquettishly, a hand on a hip while the other supported her kiseru, the coyest of smiles on her lips.

"Ask for Setsuki."

* * *

Hashirama was about to rip his long tresses out in frustration under the sheer amount of undone paperwork when Senju Toka walked in, balancing a hawk on one arm while extending the other. "Hashirama-sama, your brother."

"Tobirama!" Mind immediately off his workload, the Hokage reached for the scroll she held with eager hands. Although missions out of the country was a norm, and he had only be gone for three days, the status of the silver-haired shinobi still garnered a great deal of concern from his elder sibling. With a Ram hand seal, the tanned leader unrolled the paper with a puff of smoke.

_'Brother._

_It was my luck that I was able to get a head start on my first day. I apprehended a kidnapper, but unfortunately he was terminated and left me only with a vague clue. Nonetheless, I had a direction to follow. It is also in your interest to note that there is an unaligned clan in the outskirts of the village, and they are a peaceful lot._

_I predict that matters are about to get tensed, and I might not be able to write as quickly as this. I'll try, though._

_Take care of the village. _

_My current location is Yoshiwara.'_

It was signed with the seals of both Konoha and Senju for verification.

Hashirama breathed a sigh of relief and slumped back into his chair, but the imprint of the last line caused him to jerk forwards and yank the scroll straight again with wide eyes.

"Tobirama is in Yoshiwara?!"

* * *

**Author's Note: I hope nobody finds the OC annoying... and it's my first time writing a fight scene too so I hope it isn't narmy hehe ^^' Btw, is the story too draggy? **

**Thank you so much for the review! :D More will be appreciated :)**


	3. To Trust a Wench

His patience was wearing thin.

Cross-armed and cross-legged, Tobirama tapped a finger on his bicep not to the rhythm of the playing shamisen, but to that of his heightening irritation. Although he was seated in a luxuriously decorated room with the company of beautiful females and jugs full of quality sake, the shinobi did not feel the slightest bit of gratification (not that he would in the first place). On the contrary, his surroundings only drove his annoyance further: the chamber was predominantly splashed with bright shades of red, which only stoked his anger more; the girls danced dances and sang and played songs he had no mood to keep up with for they made his head spin and grated his ears; and the untouched wine gave off such a strong fragrance that he was quite convinced it was tampered.

"Stop," he said curtly to the young entertainers after his endurance gave out. "...Please."

"As danna-sama wishes," they chorused in tinkling chirps and graciously complied.

The silver-haired man watched as they kept the props away and politely retreated to the corners (some a metre from his sides) to kneel and await his fancies. Exhaling through his nose, he resumed his wait in a posture as rigid and cautious as ever.

"Setsuki-tayuu arrives!"

All attention snapped to the red-framed door, which slid open to reveal a pale-blonde woman dressed in weights of colourful fabrics and assorted hair embellishments. She stepped into the room after removing her slippers, and knelt dutifully with a smiling face. "My name is Setsuki and I will be your company for the night, Senju Tobirama-sama."

He noticed that she had painted her scar away.

"You're late," he barked, frown diving deeper as she drew closer, "didn't you say to meet after the second gong? It is already nearing the third!"

"But I _did_ keep to my arrangement, danna-sama," she spoke with mock innocence while settling herself opposite him, "even the third gong is within the period _'after_ _the second gong'_, isn't it?"

"Don't test me, woman," the Senju growled warningly, dangerously. "I have no time for your nonsense."

"How fierce..."

"I wish to settle this quickly."

"So do I, but you've already paid for tonight's entertainment, at least savour our sake?" The woman tilted a jug over his empty cup. "Don't worry, it's not poisoned," for proof, she poured alcohol from the same jug into her own cup and sipped it.

Tobirama simply kept his arms folded and glanced around the room. "How safe is this place?"

Sighing, Setsuki dismissed the shinzo and kamuro who were patiently waiting at the sides. "You're in the number one courtesan house in this town; nobody will even think of disrupting a session in here, nobody can. Also, this room,-_my_ room-, is the only chamber on the highest storey of this building, there's no reason for the presence of anybody else. Besides," she produced her kiseru from her robes and arranged it for use, "you and I are both adept sensors. We can weed out any eavesdroppers no matter how well-concealed they are. Or at least, _I_ can. Is that safe enough for you?"

The woman seemed to take delight in getting on his nerves, the Senju realised as he struggled to maintain his composure. "Do explain to me why _anybody_ would want to kidnap prostitute-trainees, unless it is for some sick fancy. Surely they have no _significant_ skills?"

"I wondered about that too, until I did some investigating," she received his intended insult, but kept her gritted smile. "Those two girls were originally from shinobi clans of reputable powers, and since they were already estranged, they made easy, no-fuss captives. I suppose Konoha is facing a similar problem?"

He did not supply her with a concrete answer. He never intended to.

Though already forming his reply in her mind, Setsuki stated with hints of exasperation, "you know, I can choose to not co-operate too. From my observations, it is safe to say that I have more information than you do. Thus, I too, am staking quite a lot by placing my trust in an unfamiliar shinobi."

"What a comparison to make," a wry smirk twisted his lips at her chide and he felt chakra building within, "I come from an established clan and village of honourable rank, I am doubtlessly far more trustworthy than _you_, whom I know_ nothing_ of."

The courtesan felt her skin tingle as the man shifted and loosened his arms.

"You expect _me", _he continued in a derisive tone, "to place _my trust _in some whore and believe everything that she says?"

Her dark eyes slimmed in alarm as she noticed his dominant hand reach out.

"You and your prostitute accent make me _laugh_."

As Tobirama's fingers clasped around the cold ceramic of his cup, he found himself the point-blank target of numerous swords, knifes, spears and various blades of lethal nature, all imposed upon him by scowling kunoichi who had suddenly materialized with unveiled killing intent. _They must have been on guard outside the entire time, _his unflinching ruby eyes swept across the army, having already predicted a scene like this,_ she taught them her hiding skills well._

With another caustic smirk, he shifted his line of sight from them to their unruffled superior, who had remained in her careless posture amidst the deadly weapons poised to protect her. "So _this_ is the trust you've staked in me. Flattering."

She simply sipped at her pipe. "Precautions _do_ have to be made, danna-sama."

Their attention turned to a particularly young kunoichi at the side, who had shouted defensively and furiously at the man, "don't call Boss 'some whore'! She has never actually entered the service before! She hasn't even done _it_ yet! Boss is still a pure virgin, so watch your words!"

...

"Yuugo," Setsuki smiled at her subordinate with excessive sweetness, "_you_ should practise what you preach."

"Stupid!" An older kunoichi nudged at the fearful girl, who paled and gulped audibly.

"Unbelievable. A courtesan who has no experience at all?" Tobirama was reluctantly amused despite his earlier conviction to stick to business. "I'm being short-changed here."

Setsuki flicked a wrist to quell her women, returning her guest his personal space while an embarrassed blush dusted her whitened face. "I was inducted into the Tsurugumi before I even had the chance to become a shinzo, so I was never officially,-what did you call me?-, a whore. Although, I did master the traditions and arts of this profession for undercover uses. Like the other day."

He was not blind to the pointed look she sent as she spoke her last sentence, and thus conceded a sigh. "I was actually quite ready to show the trust I would have placed, until you showed me yours."

"Forgive me. We shinobi can never be too cautious," the female smiled wilily, then in an abrupt movement, snatched several shuriken from the pouch of a nearby kunoichi and threw them at various corners and furniture in the room where they all landed a safe feet away from planted explosive tags, "can we, Senju-sama?"

He responded with a growing smirk.

"I sensed your trust," she mirrored him, noting that his hand had retreated from the ceramic it held. "Yuugo, your punishment for yapping is to defuse the tags."

"Yes, Boss!"

"So, danna-sama," Setsuki moved to replenish her wine, "what is it now? At this rate, we will get nowhere."

Tobirama closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He found his answer after a minute.

"Fine," he exhaled through his nose in a huff, "I'll at least attempt to co-operate, although you will not have my trust."

"_Yet_, I hope. That's fair enough. However..."

Smiling, the woman emptied her cup, "you have both of mine."

* * *

_**Chapter 2:**_

**To Trust A Wench**

* * *

"I'll hear you first."

Every blade in the room dulled before his piercing red glare.

"Only joking, Handsome," the courtesan drawled mischievously, tapping her pipe onto a bowl to discard its ashes. "Mine's a long story, so keep it in, alright?"

She sighed a trail of smoke. "Our first girl went missing a month ago. The second one was nicked just last week. Both were kidnapped just a few days after their arrival here, so I suspect that the kidnappers have been tailing them, and struck under the weak protection of the house madams. We too, had very little leads..."

Tobirama blinked at the sudden plunge in atmosphere.

"But two days ago, a man wearing a haori with the same crest as the kidnappers sauntered into Yoshiwara..."

_..._

_With the dispelling of a clone entered information that her target is heading towards her direction, just as she had hoped. However, for added precaution that he would not stray from her intended path, the kunoichi had another clone entrap the man in an illusion without his detection, as allowed by her abilities._

_The brothel manager knelt and slid the patterned door ajar, bidding courteously, "the best of luck to your mission, Setsuki-san. Do apprehend the scum who dared to take our girls."_

_"Thank you, Yarite-san," the lady smiled, at both the older woman and the telepathic knowledge that the man has redundantly attempted to dispel the genjutsu, "for allowing me to live under this roof as well."_

_"Get 'im, Setsuki-chan!" The surrounding prostitutes cheered under hushed tones. "We'll make sure that he chooses you!"_

_"That's difficult, considering the beauties around me," she beamed warmly, but straightened her face as soon as she sensed the approaching ninja. "Hush now..."_

_Setsuki had her clone intensify the effects of the illusion, and its results were clear from the smitten look that her target donned, complete with enlarged pupils and a slack jaw. She had him bought. After much flailing from his side, she stood up, announced her decision, and escorted the practically drooling male up to her room. The woman struggled to maintain a smiling mask, scorning the pig in her heart and mind as she began feeding him copious amounts of alcohol to loosen him enough for questioning._

_"What a strong body," she drawled as lightly as she touched his hardened form, "danna-san must be a great shinobi."_

_"Well, well," he smirked and thumped at his chest self-importantly, "this body did go through many battles, y'know? I once took out fifty men and three large boars all by myself, and that's the smallest of my many achievements! Let me tell you about how I got ambushed by a Kumo squad. It was a foggy day with mist as thick and white as the Hyuuga Clan's eyes, and I had just disposed of a ten-strong gang of ronin when..."_

_Setsuki suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and waited tiredly for him to end his tale, dodging the occasional enthusiastic gestures. "How impressive! I just _love_ strong men. Your boss must treasure you a lot, then."_

_"Keh, my boss?" An irritated frown set on his brows as he reached to down more sake, "don't talk about that bastard. He makes my blood boil!"_

_"A person who can rile someone as great as danna-san?" The woman feigned surprise, "I don't believe it!"_

_"Oh, you better believe it!" He heatedly slammed the bottle down. "I have no idea _what_ that crazy man plans to do."_

_"Why?"_

_"Ummm," his eyes flashed uncomfortably, "I'm not really supposed to talk about it..."_

_The woman laid her head on his flushed chest, where she could conceal a look of utter disgust at the words she was about to say._

_"Danna-san, Setsuki only wishes that you enjoy your night free from grievances, but it is impossible if you keep unpleasant thoughts and emotions to yourself. We are alone, the kamuro and shinzo won't hear anything. Share your burdens with me as you would with a lover, for I am yours." Tilting up, she peered into his eyes with her own fragile ones, "or is it that danna-san doesn't trust me?"_

_"Hmm... Umm... Well..."_

_She knew that she had him under her last finger._

_"Fine. Since courtesans are supposed to be confidantes as well. If a politician can spill state secrets to a whore, why can't I, eh?"_

_He took another swig of alcohol before starting his rant._

_"Lately, the boss has taken a reeeeal interest in 'lil brats, y'know? He has us kidnap those 'lil shinobi brats from those clans who think they're all that. Pfft, I can take them down whenever I want to, alright! Anyway, we found it kind of weird at first, 'cos hell, I mean, yeah, I know that we ain't exactly the good guys, but business with lil' kids?! That's just _nasty_, alright?!"_

_Setsuki could not deny the difficulty she faced in her comprehension of his words._

_"Alright. But anyway, the Boss let us in a bit on his plans. He plans to collect, -what's tha' word he called them? Oh yeah-, _specimens_ from as many clans as he can get his hands on. It don't matter if they're lousy or strong, he just wants 'em all, all their powers and stuff. It don't matter if they're 'lil brats with 'lil experience in ninjutsu and stuff, 'cos he says that he has some sort of way to get it outta 'em even if they haven't practised their abilities before. I don't know what, and I don't care 'cos that's outta my job scopes. Anyway, he says that it's better for 'em to be kids without much knowledge 'cos tha' way, the big dogs won't be too hot on their tails for leaked secrets."_

_Despite the slight chill in her chest, Setsuki presented a guileless furrow of her brows. "But danna-san, I don't understand, why does your boss want to collect their powers?"_

_"Heh, for a tayuu you're kinda dumb, but that's okay, I like you dumb. Obviously, doll, to have so many different kinds of kekkei genkais and clan techniques, tha' would make my boss freakin' powerful! I heard that he wants to create some kinda super-army by mixing and matching all em' abilities too, and if he can't extract the powers or something, he'll brainwash 'em kids and raise em' to be super assassins or something. I don't know, tha's all I heard."_

An army, no, an_ individual _with that number of techniques and abilities_, the kunoichi beside could not stop herself from gawking in horror, _if he succeeds in whatever that he's planning, the world will... _"Danna-san, your boss must already be very skilled even without the abilities of other clans. Who is he, if you are able to tell me?"_

_"My Boss? You wouldn't have heard of him," the man flipped his wrist dismissively while guffawing, "heck, he ain't even a shinobi!"_

"W-What?"

_"Close your mouth, darlin'. Yep, my Boss's just a samurai. He ain't the biggest dog in the samurai world, but hell, he has a brain like no one does. My group's new, but we're going quite chipper with a rather large membership all thanks to the boss' good head. But I guess all geniuses have something weird about them, huh? I mean, my boss' a _queer_! Hope doesn't have any designs on me though, I mean, I know I'm that manly, but I don't swing that way, y'know?"_

_Setsuki needed to track the organisation down, and in her desperation, let slip a question far too blatant. "What's your group called, danna-san?"_

_Fortunately, he was far too intoxicated to notice. "We don't have no name, ain't decided yet, but the boss made all of us wear stuff with this symbol on it," he showed her his back and gestured to the crest with a thumb, "a symbol of a mist. Don't know why, but it looks cool, huh?"_

_"Yes..." Slowly recovering from the shock with an intuition that his knowledge of the situation is nearing its limit, the courtesan regained her flirtatious confidence. "Then, have you and your friends come to Yoshiwara for a break? Why not ask them to come here too?"_

_"Nah, I'm the only one here," the shinobi emptied the bottle he had been waving about, "but I'm supposed to meet my subordinate here in about two days. He'll be having with him a kid from the Kato Clan."_

_"Then, will danna-san leave poor Setsuki here alone in Yoshiwara?" The woman touched her chin with her fingers, a teary look glazing her eyes, "will it be convenient for you to come back and visit me from wherever you will be going?"_

_"Hmm... the distance's quite big. I mean, I'm not sure if you would know since you've been stuck here all your life, but there's a bunch of islands situated below the Land of Fire. That's where I'm headed. Ah, I'm thirsty from talkin' so much! Thank God I ain't a lower-ranked guy in my org', 'coz those poor suckers have some kind of jutsu that kills 'em if they talk too much. Not that they would know much, anyway."_

_He took the cup of sake she handed him and downed it in one shot. Then, pointing at the further end of the room, he leered, "hey, isn't it time we go there already?"_

_"Danna-san has waited long," the kunoichi drawled silkily with a hint of menace he could not detect, "his patience will be rewarded."_

With death, that is_._

_..._

"That organization of his should thank me for doing them a favour by disposing such a useless blabbermouth," Setsuki blew a steady stream of smoke. "Anyway, that's all I've got."

"Impossible... How can one person possibly harvest and amass such power? It will be impossible for even my brother!" Tobirama would have gawked at what he just heard if he did not possess the level self-control as he did. "Were you fabricating it?"

"Senju-sama, I cannot supply you with another story because there is none other," the kunoichi did not conceal her growing irritation. "This is the truth."

_She's not lying..._ The Konoha-nin was assured of some level of trust in her considering the consistency of her account with his experiences. "Fine. But, whatever that man has said sounds far too incredulous to believe. Might he be exaggerating? Or might he be ignorant of the unfeasibility of his superior's plan? A samurai would be the last person who would wish to dabble in the affairs of the shinobi."

"Exactly, that's why I have not sent a distress call to any of the established villages, -actually, just Konoha, in fear of crying wolf." She then motioned the tip of her pipe at him, "it's your turn to share what you know."

Quite apprehensively, uncomfortably and above all, embarrassingly, Tobirama complied.

"That's all?"

"...yes."

He watched her struggle for a reply.

"How..._enlightening_ to find out the names of Konoha clans."

"The same goes to finding out about a queer samurai stealing shinobi secrets."

"I know. Either way, queer samurai amassing power or not, I have to rescue the kidnapped girls," she sipped her kiseru before raising her eyes to meet his. "I'm sure you have children to retrieve too."

He had a suspicion of where this was headed, one he did not expect himself to favour. "So?"

"So... we have a common goal, and a common enemy. Why don't we work together?"

"If I wanted support I would have brought along my own kin," Tobirama scoffed, "I'm simply on a recon mission, and I am to return as soon as I obtain sufficient information."

"What I just told you obviously does not constitute as anything 'sufficient'. The man's obviously not trusted enough to be privy to crucial details, as evident from his elementary explanations. There is still much for us,-especially_ you-_, to uncover. Admit it," the woman pressed persuasively, "you _need_ my help."

The Senju felt his back grow rigid with internal conflict.

"Don't worry, I'll be quiet and undisruptive. Besides, nobody will even suspect that the great Senju Tobirama would work with a common prostitute, right? We can go around snooping undetected."

His fingers tightened around his arms, but his expression remained unchanging.

Sighing through her nose, Setsuki made the reluctant decision of resorting to the niche of her profession. "Danna-sama, even if you don't need me, I need you." If she had not placed an entreating hand on his, she would not have realised how tensed the man was. Blinking, her surprised instantaneously converted into confidence. The courtesan then moved her fingers up to his cheek, where resided a healing slit, "I'm sorry for attacking you in the afternoon. In my excitement upon discovering somebody who bore the crest, I forgot to identify who he might be or what clan his chakra signature is from. I was reckless. I didn't mean to hurt you-"

"_Enough._"

A rough hand immobilized her wrist and Tobirama burned her eyes with a glare soaked in disdain. "Your careless, inconsequential, _insincere_ expressions of affection make me_ sick_."

"Very well," with vigour, the Senju's second snatched his untouched cup of sake and raised it to his lips, throwing his silver-crowned head backwards in a confident motion. Wiping a leaked drop from his mouth, he nailed his ruby pupils into her black ones.

"I render you my assistance."

Setsuki had discerned his agreement with triumphant eyes, but her heart had trembled with an inexplicable sensation akin to a cross between excitement and admiration. She withdrew her hand from his vice-like clutch, and spoke as she massaged it. "Do you know, danna-sama? In Yoshiwara, a courtesan makes promises of her devotion to the man she loves and honours them by tying her hair on his finger or offering him her blood or a fingernail."

She stretched an expectant hand to her left, which a subordinate placed a kunai on.

"I am no extraordinary kunoichi, and perhaps the only help I can offer that is up to your standards are my sensing abilities..." The woman cut three blonde strands from her hanging fringe and dropped them before him. "I cannot pledge my love, but I can pledge you my loyalty..."

Without warning, the blade ran across her palm, drenching the yellow strings in red. However, her face showed no pain, only a smile the most genuine that Tobirama has seen from her yet.

"And you can rest assured that it will never waver."

"Hn," his own lips quirked to a smirk.

"I'll take it."

...but how was he to trust the words of a wench?

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry that this took so long! Don't expect another update till December though...**

**Firstly, a huge thank you to Guest#1, Guest#2, MissNANI, Singing Moon, greenmill, Swirlycloud, Guest#3, NextHokage and enkasai for the reviews, and those who have followed, favourited and read this story! You guys really lift me up! :) **

**Uhh... concerning the concerns of me making Tobirama using a Wind-Style technique in the previous chapter: I am highly aware that he is a water-style user, but I doubt that he cannot perform techniques of other nature styles considering how well-versed in justus he is. Besides, there are shinobi who have used/mastered techniques of at least two nature types, like Kakashi. And I've researched before typing: Futon Daitoppa is a relatively low(C)-ranked technique, so surely a Kage-level ninja, no matter their nature transformation, should be able to use it, right? I guess it's a matter of choice? But when typing that fight scene, using wind was the most appropriate at that time, and if Tobirama were to use water to flush everything away, it would become too much of a commotion. Nonetheless, I really appreciate how you guys help point out the things you find odd, cos then I will be able to address and improve on it! :) **

**Speaking of Tobirama, I hope that my portrayal of him is correct and not OOC! **

**And thank you Guest#3 for pointing out the book The Nightless City, I found it online (free verision!) and it makes a really great reference material! I have a lot of questions answered from reading it! :)**

**Some terms/explanations:**

_**Tayuu - Top-ranking courtesan (also called the Oiran). **_

_**Shinzo - Apprentice courtesan.**_

_**Kamuro - Little girl attendants to courtesans.**_

_**Yarite - A female manager of a brothel.**_

_**Prostitute accent - The courtesans of Yoshiwara spoke in a dialect/accent known as 'oiran kotoba' (literal meaning 'courtesan words'). Not sure very sure of it, but I do know that instead of 'watashi (I)' and 'anata (you)' (or any other terms pertaining to that meaning), the courtesans say 'waachi' and 'nushi' respectively. Terms for many things are said differently too. Also, instead of ending with '-masu', they end with '-nsu', and instead of 'da', it's 'ja' (?) Anyway, it's difficult to explain the Japanese language. Just know that the oiran spoke in a distinctive dialect, since many of them were taken from different parts of Japan, the Yoshiwara dialect is able to hide the 'less classy' dialects and assimilate all the girls into Yoshiwara. Correct me if I'm wrong here!**_

**Lots of infodumping in this chapter, I hope it isn't too overwhelming! This is a bigger introduction to Setsuki's character. Yeah, I made her a huge flirt LOL. I've pinpointed many foggy areas in this chapter, but if you want them to clear up, stay tuned to the next one. ;) Just know that there is much more to the 'plan'.**

**Thoughts on the characters, plot, writing, anything of this story will be greatly appreciated! Concrits are welcomed. :)**


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